MANILA, Philippines - The congressman-wife of opposition Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano refuted yesterday the claims of Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando that there are no more flooded areas in Taguig and Pateros.
Rep. Ma. Laarni Cayetano reiterated that almost three weeks after tropical storm “Ondoy” submerged practically the whole of Metro Manila in floodwaters, there are still several areas that remain under water.
Among the still submerged areas in Taguig are Barangays Napindan, Lower Bicutan, Hagonoy and Bagumbayan. Many families in the municipality of Pateros, also within her district, are still affected by floods.
“We cannot make sweeping statements like Taguig is no longer flooded if there is no real on the ground assessment by MMDA Chairman Fernando. The MMDA is supposed to be on top of flood control,” she said.
Cayetano led reporters Wednesday in inspecting Severina subdivision in Barangay Bagumbayan, Taguig. “In times like these when people are jittery, circumspection dictates verification and counter checking reports to know the real situation,” she said.
She added that there are cases wherein boats are still necessary to transport relief goods to reach people.
“If you would visit Bay Breeze and Napindan in Taguig, you will need boats to transport supplies. Statements to media that there are no more floods in our area do not help any,” Cayetano reiterated.
For his part, Senator Cayetano said the government should also maintain transparency in the utilization of the P12-blllion unprogrammed budget for the relief and rehabilitation of areas ravaged by Ondoy and typhoon “Pepeng.”
Cayetano also berated Fernando as the latter is now claiming in his interviews that floods in Taguig had receded.
“In Napindan, it’s still knee-deep; in Bay Breeze, it’s up to my neck, and in Severina, the flood is still up to the chest. I ask Fernando to resign if he cannot prove that Taguig is now free of flood,” he said.
MMDA needs more time for Marikina
The MMDA will complete cleaning up the flood-affected areas in Marikina City within the next 10 days, Fernando said.
He said MMDA clearing crews have collected 36,000 cubic meters of mud and garbage left by floods in just 18 days of clearing operations, and about 10,000 cubic meters of mud and garbage remain in Marikina’s streets.
“We have also cleared a total of 10 kilometers of roadways since we started our operation here. By our estimates, about 10,000 cubic meters of mud still have to be cleared in the streets so it will take us 10 more days to complete all the clearing works,” Fernando said.
He said MMDA clearing crews will then proceed to Pasig City where floodwaters have already subsided in some parts.
The MMDA said about 21,700 hectares of Metro Manila’s 650,000-hectare land area had been flooded during the first hours of Ondoy’s onslaught. But after 24 hours, only 1,500 hectares remain flooded in Pasig , Muntinlupa, Taguig and Pateros.
Fernando said the MMDA would start pumping out floodwaters this Sunday.
The MMDA earlier assured that Metro Manila will be cleared of all garbage, debris and muck left in the wake of Ondoy by December.
The MMDA is also appealing to the public to help contain the garbage problem by not piling their trash on the streets. “The floods brought an unusual volume of garbage. Our streets are filled with all kinds of waste and debris,” Fernando said.
Garbage collected by the MMDA in Marikina will be sent to a temporary dump in the city before being hauled to a sanitary landfill in Rodriguez, Rizal. – Delon Porcalla, Mike Frialde